Piolo Pascual And Shaina Magdayao Grace The 68th Berlin International Film Festival
Rumored couple Piolo Pascual and Shaina Magdayao, or ShaiLo (their loveteam's name), shone bright at the 68th Berlin International Film Festival, or Berlinale, which runs from February 15 to 25. The two flew to Berlin, Germany with some of the cast members of the rock-opera film Ang Panahon ng Halimaw and renowned director Lav Diaz.
Ang Panahon ng Halimaw is one of the 23 international films in the main competition of the prestigious Berlinale this year.
Shaina plays the role of Lorena in the black and white movie, while Piolo plays the role of her husband Hugo Haniway.
Piolo and Shaina have been elusive to the media when it comes to the real score of their relationship, maintaining in separate interviews that they are just "close friends."
In February 2017, though, Pascual made headlines when he revealed that he and Shaina have been "exclusively dating" for five years now. Meanwhile, she downplayed their relationship status, saying they’re free to date whomever they want.
In a Tonight With Boy Abunda interview in March last year, Piolo tried to explain their relationship: "Shaina and I have a mutual understanding na hindi namin alam kung paano ipaiintindi sa tao."
"What we have is really something special and mahirap kasi nga pareho kaming public figure and so we just decided na huwag na lang magsalita. Whatever we have is what we have. It is what it is," Piolo says.
Their relationship status may continue to be a mystery, but what is clear at this point is the fact that their film, which had its world premiere at the Berlinale, has mostly earned positive reviews from the global media. Screen Daily’s Jonathan Romney describes the film as director Lav Diaz's "most experimental work yet."
Lav’s own acapella compositions are featured in the four-hour opera-drama film, which is set in 1970s Philippines during the Martial Law and tackles the violent abuses of the Marcos regime. The film is Shaina’s first singing role in a film, sharing in her Instagram Stories her disbelief and excitement to be working with the renowned director.
“Ang gusto ko lang naman ay makatrabaho siya (Diaz). Maski nga ekstra lang sa pelikula niya. Pero binigyan pa niya ako ng role. May arte na, may kanta pa,” the actress shares. Piolo, on the other hand, told ABS-CBN News, "We would get studies from him through e-mail, and siya mismo nag-compose nu'ng mga kanta. Ang hirap for us, kasi for the whole movie, kumakanta kami, pero acapella. [Challenging] to be in tune, kasi wala kaming accompaniment na instrumento, kami-kami lang. At first, lahat kami jittery."
Ang Panahon ng Halimaw ("The Season of the Devil") will vie for the prestigious Golden Bear and Silver Bear prizes in the international film festival on February 24.
Photos from @fdcpofficial
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